, 1887-11-16
SANITARY MATTERS AND POLICB
IN BARBADOS.

IN BARBADOS.
The fourteenth half.yearly Report of the
Poor Law Inspector for the half year end.
ing June 30th, 1897, as been @puAlished.
In many respects tue Report is coWpaEt.
lively satisfactory asst shows a decrease
in the total number of paupers relieved
during last half in comparison with the
corresponding half Of last year, and a de-
crease of 1924 in the expenditure also for
the halfyear. The Report also speaks
~favourably of the Sanitary improvements
made in the several parishes, except No.
l district of st. MichaeEs, the sanitary
condition Of which is spoken of as every
bad" The consequence of this improve
ment in the sanitary condition of the
Parishes is a every marked falling off i'm
the typhoid fever cases. In one respect
the Report is very unsatisfactory, viz, in
the increased and increasing number Of
poor in ST. Michael'S, and the consequent
increased expenditure in this parish. We
shall return to this subject when we have
more space at our disposal.
A Return, giving a comparative sum.
mary of the number of persons apprehend.
ed by, or given over to, the Police for the
Quarters July 31st to Sept, Both '85, SO,
and '87, has been published. 1t is very
SATISFACTORILY l bAUO IA OLd uuulUEE
of persons apprehended by, or given over
to, the Police for the third Quarter this
year has been 81 per cent. less than in the
corresponding Quarter of $50, and over 30
Der cent. less than in '85. We feel much
pleasure in drawing attention to the mark.
ed decrease in offences which is to be OBJ.
served under two headS:-those of Essteal-
ing" and "reSiSting and aSSaulting the no,
Ice" the one, no doubt, consequent npOn the
other. Whereas the number of offences
under the head of stealing was sos in the
Quarter of '85, and 500 in the Quarter of
$50 it was only 1872 in the corresponding
Quarter this year. And whereas the mum.
Der of offences for resisting the police was
48 in the Quarter of 'S5, and so in the
Quarter 1876, it was only IS the same quar-
ter this year. There can be nc question
that the lab0uring classes have not been
forced to endure the same amount of pri-
walton and want this year as in either of
tho years '85 or ,86. The large crops reap.
ed this year, which it is calculated has
caused at least $3.50, 900 more to be circu-
lated among the %labo1ring classes than
last year, and the constant supply Of
cheap provisions, both native and import.
ed, have been the means of keeping many
from that thoughtless desperation which
too often leads to crime. Offences under
the head of resistance to the police will
necessarily vary Ii proportion to the at
tempts made by the police - arrest for
breaches of the law; odd as the total num-
Der of offences for Ahe last Guarter was
only 852 as compared with 1885 and 1897
for the corresponding Quarters qf'85s and
$50, we accordingly fed the number of
offences for resisting the police less for the
last Quarter than the same Quarters in
'85 and SO. There is also a decrease in
the number of cases of cutting and wound
ing, being 81 for the third Quarter this
year against At and 81 for the same quar-
ter of 'S5 and 'S6, respectively. Altogeth-
er, the. Return presents satisfactory fea-
lures as compared with, the like return for
the years 'S5 and 1876, aad it would indeed
be a pleasant task'for as to have to chros
nicle O. similar Improvement in the lawless-
ness ofour people in the recurring Guar
tiers of succeeding years.-Ibid.